Reusable bottle stopper with severable skirt portion



Dec. 4, 1956 L. WOYDATT ET AL 2,772,802 7 REUSABLE BOTTLE STOPPER WITH SEVERABLE SKIRT PORTION Filed Oct. 26, 1951 .FdAPl/f' 640/6 04647 M United S w 'f The present invention refers to a closure or stopper structure for mineral water bottles and other containers, which is placed on the bottle before the latter is dis tributed on the market; said closure structure being torn off at the first opening of the bottle, leaving a .cap com prising means for placin'g said cap an indefinite number of. timeson the' neck of the bottle for closing the same, the removal of a torn-off part, -at the time of the first opening of the bottle, affording however the further use of said bottle due to the fact that it can be closedaga'in with the remaining part of the closure structure.

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the invention to provide means ensuring firm and safe closing of bottles and continued use of a removable cap on the bottle after destruction of an essential part of thebottle closure device. p j

ltis another important feature of the invention to provide meansfacilitating the manufacture of inexpensive bottle-closure means fulfilling the dual purpose of strong an d durableclosure for the bottle and of incorporatingin said closure a bottle cap, which may be separately used, after the closure has been partly destroyedfor obtaining access to thebottle neck.

These andother objects of theinvention will become further apparent from the following detailed description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, showing preferred embodiments of the invention.

. Figure 1 is a sectional elevation Qfoneembodiment of the stoppering device accordingto .the present invention.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the neck of a bottle completely closed by means of the stoppering device of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a lateral elevation of a second embodiment of the stoppering device.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, the stoppering or closure device consists of a capsule or cap portion 11 having a base 11a and a side wall 11b, the latter being thinner adjacent its junction with the base than at its edge 12 remote from the base. The closure device further includes a skirt portion 13 having a central section 13a of substantially uniform wall thickness, a first edge section of lesser wall thickness, and a second edge section 14 of greater wall thickness than said central section. The edge section 15 is joined to the edge 12 of the side wall 11b and thus constitutes, together with the remainder of the skirt portion 13, a prolongation of the side wall 11b. A hollow, substantially cylindrical member 16 protrudes from the base 11a and is disposed interiorly of and concentrically with the side wall 11b and skirt portion 13. The member 16 extends to a location beyond the junction between the side wall edge 12 and the first or thin edge section 15 of the skirt portion 13 and is designed to fit into the neck of the bottle which is closed by means of this stoppering device. The stoppering device comprises a lug or thumb piece 17, protruding beyond its periphery and its lower portion or pressure surface 18 is essentially directed toward the second edge section 14 of the skirt portion 13 to 2,772,802 Patented Dec. 4, 956

allow a better grasp when opening the bottle and when.

removing therefrom this stopperingdevice. i

In Fig. '2, the neck 19 of a bottle is terminated, at itsupper portion, by a marginal rim 20 below which is placeda frusto-conical portion 21; 22 designates a groove or constricted area connecting the frusto-conical portion 21 with the neck 19 of the bottle.

The stoppering device is engaged on the neck 19 of the bottle by means of the annular groove formed between the outer surface of the cylindrical member 16 on Y the one hand and the inner surface of the side wall 11b and skirt portion 13 on the other hand in such a manner .that the edge or collar 12-of the side wall 11b placed underneath the marginal rim 20 of, the neck of the bottle and that'the skirt portion 13 surrounds the frusto-conical portion 21. The edge section 14 is thus placed in abut-- ting engagement with the shoulder formed by'the groove 22 while. the cylindrical sleeve or member 16 is housed inside the neck of the bottle. x

, Whenit is desired to openthe bottle closed by this stoppering device, a pressure is exerted on the pressure skirt portion 13, ,is. placed below the shoulder of the neck, it prevents .the skirt portion 13 fromsliding along the frusto-conical portion 21 of the neck. The region of lowest resistance ,15, .which is ,weaker thaneither the skirt portion of thecap portion, is ruptured and the cap portion 11 of the stoppering device is severed or freed from the skirt portion 13 and can thus be removed from.

the marginal rim 2410f the neck 19 of thevbottle.v

Whenit is desired to close the bottle again, the cap: or,capsule is placed back on the neck of the bottle, the.

collar,,12 again being placed on the marginal rim 20 of the neck 19 of the bottle. Similarly, the sleeve 16 enters the neck.

In Fig. 3 the central skirt section 23 connecting capsule24 with the lower collaror edge section 25 con-2 sists of a number of tongues formed by the provision of a pluralityof substantially parallel slots 26a. A region of lowest tear;res'istance is constituted by a thin edge section 27. The.slots 26a render thetongues 26 more flexible and facilitate adaptability of the skirt portion to the neck of the bottle, the tongues being torn off at the first opening.

The stoppering device may be made of a plastic material such as rubber, natural or synthetic, of resilient material unaffected by the chemical agents involved, par ticularly of a synthetic resin such as polystyrene. It may be transparent, translucent or of any suitable color.

This stoppering device may bear designs, emblems and markings. It may be given any outside shape, pleasing and attractive for sales purposes.

The stoppering device according to the invention ensures a perfect sealing due to the engaging of the inner sleeve 16 in the bottle, the clamping of the edge 12 of the side wall 11b under the marginal rim of the bottle and the application of the skirt along the neck thereof. In addition, the contents of the bottle may not be tampered with as long as it has not yet been delivered for consumption, since, from its first opening, the skirt 13 or 23 becomes separated from the capsule, thus testifying to this first opening. Finally, the capsule which remains after the separation of the skirt, still makes it possible to stopper the bottle in a perfectly tight manner as many times as desired, which avoids the escape of gases or the contact of the liquid contained inside the bottle with the atmosphere. The skirt might be glued or made to adhere to the glass of the bottle by any other means, for instance by heating the lower portion of the 3 skirt, toaid'in the tearing. off operation and to contribute to; the tamper proofing characteristicsof the closure device.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided according to the invention a unitary closure device-for bottles and like containers comprising a cap portion having a' relatively thick'wall, 'said cap portionbeing provided with' an outwardly projecting lug for manipula tion of said. cap portion and being'provided withan inner annular groove for engagement 'with the rimmed end of the neck of a bottle, a relatively thin-walled sleeve 7 r'iiemberextending substantially centrally. with respect-to said groove from'the underface of saidcap portion and terminating in a" free end, said sleeve member being in si'table into said= bottle neck, and a substantially thin-' walled skirt portion projecting firom said cap portion at a location ofi'the latter positioned at a level above the f-reee'nd-"of said sleevemer'nber, saidskirt portion being substantially "concentric witli said sleeve member, extending beyond said annular groove and'being'engageablewithfa 'shbulderprovided on the exterior of "saidbottle neck, whereby upon manipulation ofsaidbig to swing said cap portion about said riinrned end of said bottle neck-"said skirt portion will'be' broken at said location and; below said roove to thereby destroys'a'i'd skirt portion Without substantially making useless said cap portion.

-'Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is z A unitary'closur'e device for a receptacle having a neck with a rim defining-"a mouthfcornprising a cup{ shaped ca portionhavinga sidewall for" coveringand surrounding said rim of said neck andhaving a base for closing 'said n'iouth,' said sidewall adjacent the junction thereof with said base being thinner than at its edge remote from"said base, askirt po rtiorii havingamain central section" of substantially unitormwall thickness less than the thickness of said edge or said sidewall,

said skirt portion" further having a' first edge section of lesser wall thickness than said central section and a seoiid edge section of greater wall thickness than said central section, said first edge section of said skirtfportion being" joined to said edge of said side wall and thus forming at prolongation ofsaid side wall, said skirt pore tion 'being' constructed tofit aroundsaid neck below said rin'itliereof and; beingprovided witha plurality of substaiitiall'y;paralleilongitudinal slots in said central sec tioii, said Isljc ts'"e' irtending v approximately; from said firstv 4 edge section to said second'edge section, whereby the flexibility.- and thus the neck-embracing. characteristics at said skirt portion are materially enhanced, a substantially hollow cylindrical member protruding from said 5 base of said cap portion and positioned interiorly of and concentrically with said sidewall and said skirt portion, whereby an annular-groove is defined between the ut r surf o sa q lindr ca memb r on these; hea arid thfinner surface ofusaid aide, wall and said skirt portion on the other hand, said groove being shaped to receive said rim ofsaid receptacle upon positioning of said cap portion on said n eck andupon insertion of said y d ical mber nto sa d: mo th,- r aist iyl ajdr l member eigtending from said base of said cap portion to a location beyond "the-junction between said edge 0% said side wall and said first edge section; of: said skirt portion, and a lug attache dto and ex tending froin the outer surface of said side wall at a location substantially adjacent said edge, thereof, said, 111g, being proy dci with a Pre e i l i d. w a seeded; lse iectl jn f Sa d. s ifportlon, whereby upon application ii s iie "as n' fl a d Pres u e i ase f l i 9s a d .ward said base, said first edg Section rtr n will be ruptured to, enable, said cap, to theKwithfsaid; cylindrical, member to he.

cle' nd retainedffor reusefwitli the latter withoiit BQEQEQEEQE Cit d: n he e aihis a ent V UNITED STATES: PATENTS; 674,522-- Seib May 2'1, 1 901- 891,109 Speece June 16, 1 90?! 985,000 Braun Feb. 21, 1-9;11-

1,475,908 l Walsh NOV; 27, 1923 1,958,465 "Boyd" May 15', 1934 2,116,938 White May 1938 2,168,822; Fink .Q' Q 8, 1939 2 ,202,163 Mulfor det a1; May'2s,"1940 2,231,779 swanzel Feb. l l, 1941 2,390,291 Blacktfian Q'. Dec. 4, 19 2,533,162 Verel June 22-, 1952 2 ,693,892 Guinet' L Q; 9,: 19 5} E RELG L BATE I 2,244 GreatBritain- Jan. 31, 1-896 390,411

Great-Britain .L Apr. 6; 1-233 'from said skirt portion and resmvedrr n said. 

